Powering Pakistan from the heart of the desert

Pakistan aims to ensure energy independence by leveraging its own natural resources. Hitachi ABB Power Grids will provide 550-kilovolt (kV) gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) to power generation equipment manufacturer Shanghai Electric. The Thar Block-1 project comprises two power plants with the capacity to generate 1,320 megawatts (MW) of electricity to the national grid.

Hitachi ABB Power Grids’ high-voltage compact metal encapsulated GIS offers outstanding reliability and operational safety in challenging climatic conditions. The GIS is an important component of a major energy project as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a special purpose vehicle of Shanghai Electric in Pakistan. The mine covers more than 9,000 kilometers in the Thar desert, located in the south-eastern part of Pakistan’s Sindh Province.

“We have been collaborating with Shanghai Electric for many years and it is exciting to see our partnership taking us to new opportunities in Pakistan,” said Najeeb Ahmed, Country Managing Director in Pakistan, Hitachi ABB Power Grids. “This enables us to demonstrate to the country’s utility providers the reliable quality and strong service ethos Hitachi ABB Power Grids offers its customers.”

The power plants are expected to begin operations in 2022. Yaoyao Hu, Project Director for Thar project from Shanghai Electric China said, “Due to our longstanding relationship with Hitachi ABB Power Grids, we have full confidence in the company‘s expertise to engineer complex projects with unique technical requirements in a short time.”

Hitachi ABB Power Grids pioneered GIS technology over 50 years ago and continues to drive innovations in this space. As a market and technology leader in high-voltage GIS technology, Hitachi ABB Power Grids offers ratings and applications from 72.5kV to 1,200kV and has a global installed base of more than 37,000 bays. Its latest offering includes eco-efficient and digital capabilities.